This summer orzo salad is my favorite. It features summery vegetables, marinated onions and crunchy walnuts. This summery salad has everything I crave: garden fresh veggies, delicate orzo pasta, texture variation and an herby balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Plus it has sweet red grapes that give the salad a burst of sweetness. Make this recipe for your next BBQ, picnic or for meal prep and enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean for lunch all week long.
Why you will love this Summer Orzo Salad
There are so many reasons to love this summery pasta salad. First of all, it is delicious! The flavors in this fresh recipe are on point. It is sweet, tangy, savory and slightly spicy from the bite of marinated onions. There are ripe cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, sweet roasted peppers, crunchy walnuts and a simple herby balsamic vinaigrette. The surprising ingredient is red grapes that give this pasta salad a burst of sweetness that goes so well with the pucker dressing. This recipes comes together so quickly and only uses one pot to cook the orzo and blanche the broccoli which makes for a really easy clean up too!
What is orzo?
Orzo is a tiny oblong pasta shape that resembles rice. You may recognize it from boxed rice pilaf. Orzo is slightly larger and flatter than rice and has a pleasant mouthfeel. If you are gluten free, you should not eat orzo as it is made from wheat. I love using orzo in pasta salads and soups because the texture is really great and it does not swell up like some pastas or get sticky and dry like others. Orzo pasta cooks really quickly and is such a great, versatile pantry ingredient.
Ingredients for Summer Orzo Pasta Salad
We call this summer orzo pasta because the produce is so fresh in the summer. The reality is, with modern supermarkets, this salad can actually be made year round! Let's look at the ingredients and their best substitutions.
- Red Onions- This summer salad recipes really shines because of the marinated red onions that get better with age. If you are not an onion lover like me, leave them out. If you want a milder onion bite, use green onions or chives instead.
- Cherry Tomatoes- Garden fresh cherry tomatoes are best for salads. They have a sweet flavor and don't release water as much as bigger tomatoes. Plus they still taste great on day 3 unlike slicing tomatoes.
- Persian cucumbers-When given a choice, I always choose Persian cucumbers. They are never bitter, they are not seedy or watery, and the peel tastes good. If you must, substitute English cucumber or whatever kind grows in your garden.
- Seedless Red Grapes- It may sound weird to add grapes to a salad but it is really delicious. Fruits in salad really balance out flavors with their natural sweetness. Sun peaches or nectarines for a delicious twist.
- Celery- Fresh chopped celery brings a fresh crunch to this salad. Leave it out if you are not a fan.
- Broccoli-Cooked broccoli gives this salad more body and nutrition. If you don't like broccoli, you can use frozen peas or corn, sliced zucchini or even green beans.
- Walnuts-Toasted walnuts give this salad a textural surprise. They are crunchy, a little smoky and earthy.
- Roasted Red Peppers- To save time, we used red peppers from a jar. Feel free to cook your own and sub fresh roasted red peppers instead.
- Basil- Garden fresh basil is a pungent addition to this Italian vibe pasta salad. You can use mint or parsley if you prefer or sip the fresh herbs entirely.
- Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar-The marinade for the onions and dressing for the salad is made by combining oil and vinegar, salt, pepper, a little pure maple syrup and Italian seasoning.
- Orzo Pasta- I love the texture, the esthetic and the quick cook time of orzo. But, this pasta salad will work with any shape pasta you prefer. To make this gluten free substitute a gf pasta, quinoa or wild rice.
How to make this Summer Orzo Salad
This recipe is easy enough for a beginner cook. There are no fancy techniques involved and cooking is minimal.
- Marinate the onions- Add the sliced onions to the bottom of the bowl you will use for the salad. Add balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, pure maple syrup and Italian seasoning and stir well. Let marinate while making the rest of the dish.
- Cook the Orzo-Just follow the directions on the box.
- Blanch the broccoli- Add the broccoli to the cooking orzo for the last 3 minutes of cook time.
- Toss the salad- Add the rest of the ingredients including the cooked and cooled orzo and broccoli to the bowl with the marinating onions. Toss until well combined.
Tips for making this orzo salad a meal
This summer orzo salad is lower in protein than most of my meal salads. It is considered a side salad and would be wonderful with grilled proteins and burgers at a BBQ. If you want to make it a meal, follow these tips. My favorite addition to this Mediterranean Salad to bump up the protein is white beans. They marinate so well in vinaigrettes and taste delicious with Italian herbs. You can also add grilled tofu cut in cubes or tempeh. Vegan feta cheese is also delicious with this salad. Another way to bump up the protein without bumping up the calories too much is to add ¼ cup hemp seeds or ¼ cup nutritional yeast to this summer salad. Of course if animal products are your favorite proteins, grilled chicken or sautéed shrimp would go best with the flavor profile.
Other delicious Orzo recipes
Summer Orzo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- ½ red onion sliced thin
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 Persian cucumbers sliced
- 3 tbsp celery diced small
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup red seedless grapes halved or quartered
- 1 head broccoli cut in small florets
- 8 oz orzo pasta (measurement is for dry not cooked)
- 2 jarred roasted red peppers chopped
- ½ cup walnuts rough chop
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper Optional
- 2 tbsp basil fresh from garden, rough chop
Instructions
- First marinate the onions and make the dressing simultaneously. Do this by adding the sliced onions to the bottom of a large salad bowl. Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, pure maple syrup, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Stir well and set aside.
- Next in a saucepan, boil water to cook the orzo and broccoli. Cook the orzo according to the box directions. Add the broccoli florets for the last 3 minutes of cooking to the same pot with the orzo. The broccoli will turn bright green but retain its integrity if you do not overcook. Drain the orzo and broccoli, rinse with cold water to halt cooking and let drain very well while assembling the rest of the salad.
- To the bowl with the onions that are marinating in the dressing, add tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, bell peppers, celery, orzo and broccoli. Stir well. Then add walnuts, basil and optional crushed red pepper and stir again.
- Store covered in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4 days for best quality.
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